Birds of Joy and Sorrow

This ongoing series reimagines the Slavic myth of Alkonost, the radiant bird-woman whose song is said to bring overwhelming joy, and her sister Sirin, whose voice carries the weight of sorrow. Set in surreal, melancholic landscapes, the works explore the emotional duality of these mythical beings, not as opposites, but as intertwined forces that shape the human experience.

Alkonost appears in luminous white, a symbol of ecstasy, divine serenity, and transcendence. Her joy is profound, yet never naive, it is the kind of happiness that exists alongside the knowledge of sorrow. Sirin, wrapped in shadowy hues, weeps quietly in the background of the world, embodying a grief that is soft, ancient, and hauntingly beautiful. In forests of faded beige and under skies tinged with longing, their presence is both otherworldly and deeply familiar.

This visual mythology invites reflection on the bittersweet nature of existence, the echo of joy in sadness, the strength found in vulnerability, and the way beauty often hides in melancholy. The Alkonost does not merely sing, she reminds us that even in paradise, we carry the weight of memory.